# Bawd — Pericles character guide

> Bawd in Pericles by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Bawd Boult, Bawd Marry, Bawd Who, Bawd Well, Bawd Ay, Bawd To Marina

**First appearance:** 0019-act-iv-scene-ii

## Snapshot

The Bawd runs a Mytilene brothel and finds her trade undone by a girl who would rather teach than sell her body.

## Who they are

The Bawd presides over a house where desire is merchandise, and she buys Marina expecting another profitable commodity. Instead Marina preaches chastity to customers and sends Lysimachus away cold, threatening the brothel's whole economy. The Bawd's outrage at this 'dish of chastity' measures how radically Marina's virtue disrupts the world she has been sold into.

## Relationships

### [Marina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se/characters/marina)

_professional_

The Bawd owns Marina as a prostitute in the brothel, exploiting her for profit.

### [Boult](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se/characters/boult)

_professional_

The Bawd and Boult are co-owners of the brothel, working together to exploit women.

### [Boult](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se/characters/boult)

_professional_

The Bawd and Boult are co-owners of the brothel, working together to exploit women.

### [Marina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se/characters/marina)

_professional_

The Bawd owns Marina as a prostitute in the brothel, exploiting her for profit.

## In the story

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-ii)

The brothel's madam, who instructs Marina on how to behave and tries to persuade her to accept her new life.

### [Scene VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-vi)

The Bawd is angry at Marina for driving away customers and orders Boult to rape her to make her compliant.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se/characters/bawd
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pericles_se/characters